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MONTREAL — Muslim women will be forced to uncover their faces if they want services from the Quebec government, according to landmark legislation tabled Wednesday in the province.

In tabling the bill, Quebec delves into sensitive territory where governments in Canada have largely avoided treading: setting hard-and-fast rules for accommodating minorities.

The bill says people obtaining — or delivering — services at places like the health- or auto-insurance boards will need to do so with their faces in plain view.

Face-coverings won’t be tolerated if they hinder communication or visual identification.

Premier Jean Charest characterized the legislation as a defence of two valued principles, gender equality and secular public institutions.

“This is a symbol of affirmation and respect — first of all, for ourselves, and also for those to whom we open our arms,” Charest told a news conference in Quebec City.

“This is not about making our home less welcoming, but about stressing the values that unite us. . .

“An accommodation cannot be granted unless it respects the principle of equality between men and women, and the religious neutrality of the state.”

While the debate over such identity issues has raged in Europe for years, and played out around countless dinner tables and Internet chat boards in this country, Canadian politicians have been reluctant to weigh in.

There are good security reasons for that law. You need to see who you're talking to.

True but there are compelling cultural reasons, too. Western women may be total babes but we expect Western men to look beyond our innate charms and focus on business. Muslim women in Western societies are free to look just as frumpy as some of their Christian and Jewish sisters but they don't get a free pass to interject an alien custom into public life.

Somewhere, women are perfectly okay with mutilating young girls. That doesn't mean that our schools, hospitals, or government offices should support that view.

You got THAT right. It's interesting how "but, it's their culture!" is used to excuse all manner of abuses toward women and children.

"Diversity" hasn't helped women to avoid sexual mutilation, sexual exploitation, or sexual discrimination. Let's face it - if some horrifying man can dress up like a woman and claim "gender" discrimination, we genetic females are pretty much back where we were before 1960.